Thomas Smale @ThomasSmale Twitter profile | Pikagi

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Thomas Smale

@ThomasSmale

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1,082

Following

433

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12,937

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Helping tech founders get acquired. Sharing tips on buying and selling online businesses. CEO of @FEIntl

New York, USA

https://t.co/8t8GKkRuy9

Joined June 2011

Don't wanna be here? Send us removal request.

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@ThomasSmale

Thomas Smale

8 months

Buying domains on a credit card to selling 8 to 9-figure tech companies. Here's how it happened: In 2010, I wanted to start a business. The problem? I was broke. So I opened a credit card and started buying and selling small websites—using late fees as motivation to

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@ThomasSmale

Thomas Smale

4 months

@davenewworld_2 Should immediately be stripped of badge. Ideally thrown in jail

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@ThomasSmale

Thomas Smale

3 years

just closed a deal over $20m valuation, cash, with *zero* employees. Just one, technical founder, completely self funded. Nice!

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@ThomasSmale

Thomas Smale

8 months

We sold a business for $30M all cash 💰 100% bootstrapped. The founder worked part-time and had 5 freelance employees. That’s generational wealth. If you have a great product, you don’t need a huge team. This story is far from uncommon.

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@ThomasSmale

Thomas Smale

9 months

@AdamSinger doesn't help when many of them are 27 year olds who have done nothing other than sit in a class listening to theories, applying for director level jobs asking $300k base to do "strategy"

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@ThomasSmale

Thomas Smale

5 months

We sold a plagiarism checker in an 8-figure deal. The buyer changed one thing that doubled income in a month. They had two plans: free & $10/month. The buyer added a $30/m and a $100/m plan. A change that took an afternoon & DOUBLED revenue. You don’t need a radical

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@ThomasSmale

Thomas Smale

8 months

NDA expired and can share the business. RT & follow and I'll send what I can

@ThomasSmale

Thomas Smale

8 months

We sold a business for $30M all cash 💰 100% bootstrapped. The founder worked part-time and had 5 freelance employees. That’s generational wealth. If you have a great product, you don’t need a huge team. This story is far from uncommon.

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@ThomasSmale

Thomas Smale

2 years

These 10 tools will 10x your online business🧵👇

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@ThomasSmale

Thomas Smale

2 years

Me 15 years ago: - Had no job - Graduated in a recession - Had no money to go out with friends Me today: - Happy with what I do - Not worried about money anymore - Own a top M&A firm that sold $1B+ in online businesses Time never stays the same.

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@ThomasSmale

Thomas Smale

2 years

7 life lessons you can take from Elon Musk’s TWITTER TAKEOVER for $44 billion:

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@ThomasSmale

Thomas Smale

2 years

The most SUCCESSFUL founders I know started their businesses as a side hustle. What's stopping your from starting your side hustle?

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@ThomasSmale

Thomas Smale

3 years

We worked on a SaaS deal this year that sold for 7-figures. They started the business in 2012. Seller was burnt out on SaaS. They ended up opening a brick-and-mortar store in a separate niche. Passions change. You never know where you’ll end up in 9 years.

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@ThomasSmale

Thomas Smale

2 years

How to create wealth in 5 simple steps: 1. Find a problem in a specific industry 2. Build a solution for it 3. Wrap it as a SaaS 4. Scale to 5-figs 5. Sell for 7-figs Repeat this formula as long as you wish

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@ThomasSmale

Thomas Smale

2 years

10 ways to boost website traffic:

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@ThomasSmale

Thomas Smale

3 years

I get a lot of questions about this—so here it is—the average in 2021 multiples by business model: SaaS: 4.0x-6.0x for businesses under $2M SaaS: 6.0x-10.0x for businesses over $2M Content: 2.5x-4.0x E-Commerce: 3.5x-6.0x

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@ThomasSmale

Thomas Smale

2 years

Me 15 years ago: - Was broke af - Started a business with just $100 - Operated just from an email address Me today: - Own a top M&A firm that has sold 1200+ businesses ($1bn+ valuation) - Built a solid team from scratch - Have several multi-million dollar personal investments

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@ThomasSmale

Thomas Smale

2 years

5 Rules for starting an online business: 1. Keep it lean 2. Be consistent 3. Evergreen niche 4. Solve a problem 5. Create content around it Which one is your favorite?

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@ThomasSmale

Thomas Smale

2 years

Your team defines your success.

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@ThomasSmale

Thomas Smale

3 years

Recently sold a SaaS biz for 8-figures where: Yearly rev: $2.4M Yearly net profit: $1.4M His biggest takeaway? He wished he would have hired a bookkeeper earlier. Financials were a mess.

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@ThomasSmale

Thomas Smale

2 years

Life Hack: Build a side hustle that makes you $5k/month.

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@ThomasSmale

Thomas Smale

5 years

@TaraReed_ @dohertyjf Hi Tara - we have quite a few that fit your criteria here: - happy to setup a call with someone in our M&A team at @FEIntl to go over options!

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@ThomasSmale

Thomas Smale

2 years

Everyone wants to become the best marketer. But no one's ready to understand human psychology. Here are 9 cognitive biases that'll make you better:

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@ThomasSmale

Thomas Smale

8 months

10 years ago I wrote a post on a popular marketing forum about how to make your first $1 online. Over 10 million people read it and it still works today, particularly on X/Twitter. Many people messaged me years later and are now making 7/8 figures. Haters will say it is fake :)

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@ThomasSmale

Thomas Smale

7 months

@levelsio Since moving to the US 7 years ago this is a big difference I have noticed. UK very low on the motivation scale too which is completely different in the US, particularly if you want to build a business.

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@ThomasSmale

Thomas Smale

2 years

Almost 44% of people start their online shopping from a search engine. Yet majority of E-com stores I've sold don't do SEO. Here's a COMPREHENSIVE guide to E-Com SEO for you. Retweet this tweet & comment "FE" below to get it in your DM's P.S- Must follow me

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@ThomasSmale

Thomas Smale

2 years

If you're a BOOTSTRAPPER, read these books: 🧵👇

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@ThomasSmale

Thomas Smale

2 years

“When you build technology it’s not just a matter of “what.” In most cases the success ends up determined by “how” you build it—which foundations you used, how simple and scalable it is.” - @Tobi Lütke, founder and CEO of @Shopify

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@ThomasSmale

Thomas Smale

7 months

@sweatystartup Run a 8 figure business from an Samsung Galaxy. AMA

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@ThomasSmale

Thomas Smale

2 years

@adatta02 @mauraball Always pick up the tab if you can!

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@ThomasSmale

Thomas Smale

2 years

@noahkagan Use Amex Platinum and book their Fine Hotels & Resorts - get early check in and late check out

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@ThomasSmale

Thomas Smale

6 months

This is me 15 years ago, at our co-working space at 2AM on a Friday. We had just hired our first employee and only had enough saved to cover 3 months' salary. That employee was our biggest investment to date. And it had to work, or else, we’d have to let them go. The stakes

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@ThomasSmale

Thomas Smale

2 years

Cheat code for SUCCESS in business: An evergreen niche, low overhead costs, work harder than competition & consistency. Most businesses lack all four.

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@ThomasSmale

Thomas Smale

2 years

A Simple Roadmap To Get Wealthy: - Find a niche - Identify low-competition keywords - Write good content - Scale it to 5 figures a month - Sell it for $1M on @FEIntl - Rinse & Repeat

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@ThomasSmale

Thomas Smale

2 years

I started @FEIntl with just 100 dollars almost a decade ago and have made $1Bn+ in sales since then. Here's my STORY:

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@ThomasSmale

Thomas Smale

2 years

If I could go back in time and give one piece of advice to the 18-year-old me, it would be, “Hard work compounds.” What would be yours?

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@ThomasSmale

Thomas Smale

3 years

@ramit - Single family real estate is the best investment - Stock market is risky - Pension is very important - Debt is bad - You shouldn't talk about money

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@ThomasSmale

Thomas Smale

2 years

12 years ago, I started @FEIntl with just $100. Today I’ve sold over $1Bn+ worth of businesses. The secret? I was building something that I loved.

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@ThomasSmale

Thomas Smale

2 years

I’ve sold over 400+ E-commerce businesses in the last 12 years. Here are some tips on how you can sell your E-commerce business for seven figures:

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@ThomasSmale

Thomas Smale

2 years

Your online business can be sold for 7 figures But most founders fail to get the RIGHT VALUATION Here’s how to plan your 7-FIGURE EXIT from DAY 1:

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@ThomasSmale

Thomas Smale

2 years

Reminder: Making $1M is easier than you think. Stop overthinking and start working.

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@ThomasSmale

Thomas Smale

5 years

@BorisJohnson Post-Brexit the UK will barely make the top 50 in the world for "starting a business"...

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@ThomasSmale

Thomas Smale

3 years

Most SaaS businesses are valued within a multiple range of 4x to 10x. For businesses with revenues below $2 million, the typical range is 4x to 6x and for businesses with revenues over $2 million, the typical range is 6x to 10x.

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@ThomasSmale

Thomas Smale

8 months

*Accidentally* ordered 10 copies of Noah’s new book. Want one? When I hit a million in revenue in 2010, it was like a switch went off—and my financial burden/fear was lifted. That’s why “Million Dollar Weekend” hits home. Building a business takes years but that spark can

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@ThomasSmale

Thomas Smale

2 years

Life Hack: Start a SaaS, E-com or A content business as a side hustle. Dedicate it one year & It'll turn into your money printing machine for sure

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@ThomasSmale

Thomas Smale

5 months

The best acquisition? A mismanaged business. Don’t search for a diamond. Polish a rough gem.

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@ThomasSmale

Thomas Smale

10 months

@zoink sorry to hear but Adobe suck anyway (tried cancelling a subscription lately?). @FEIntl would be happy to find you a buyer. Our team have worked on multiple billion dollar transactions at other firms. Let me know!

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@ThomasSmale

Thomas Smale

6 months

Buying for $100, selling for $150. That's dinner. Buying for $100,000, selling for $150,000. That's a salary. Buying for $100 million, selling for $150 million? That's wealth. Same percentage. Scale is everything.

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@ThomasSmale

Thomas Smale

2 years

@dvassallo just like you have a personal choice to have privileged opinions, people also have the personal choice not to have kids

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@ThomasSmale

Thomas Smale

2 years

SaaS works. Until you can market it. Blogs work. Until you can write quality content. E-Com works. Until you can find good products. Everything works. You just need to be passionate enough to keep showing up.

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@ThomasSmale

Thomas Smale

2 years

Email marketing campaigns of most businesses suck Here’s how to boost your sales from Email Marketing (while keeping it simple) =THREAD=

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@ThomasSmale

Thomas Smale

8 months

@advany if you have a signed agreement like you say you should 100% have an attorney send a letter. You don't need to go to court to get paid...

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@ThomasSmale

Thomas Smale

2 years

Our average SaaS multiples are: 4.0x-6.0x for businesses under $2M 6.0x-10.0x for businesses over $2M What does it take to increase your multiple? Do these 5 things:

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@ThomasSmale

Thomas Smale

7 months

My first interview where the host was ripping a cigar. The podcast medium is constantly evolving.

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@ThomasSmale

Thomas Smale

4 months

Top ways to waste money for startups? - FAANG engineers - ‘Advisors’ (who take equity) - Big-shot lawyers - Brand awareness marketing

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@ThomasSmale

Thomas Smale

3 years

A B2B SaaS company in the Shopify space made a $4,500,000 exit. The business boasted 3 years of steady growth, a mid 6-figure ARR and highly rated products. SaaS exits are out of this world. 🛸

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@ThomasSmale

Thomas Smale

2 years

Bootstrapping Pros: - You have freedom - You'll build discipline - You'll make sustainable growth Bootstrapping Cons: - You'll have to make sacrifices - You'll have limited resources - Growth will be slow

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@ThomasSmale

Thomas Smale

2 years

The craziest deal we’ve ever done @FEIntl ? A deal that was over $20m valuation, ALL CASH, with *ZERO* employees. Just one, technical founder & completely self funded.

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@ThomasSmale

Thomas Smale

6 months

@TripleNetTyler - shellfish - meat - spouse

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@ThomasSmale

Thomas Smale

5 years

@artzandy Perfect fit for us at @FEIntl - we have completed over 800 deals at this level/$0.5bn transaction value. Buyer network is PEs but also strategics and other buyers. Always good to get a range of interested parties vs negotiating with only one

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@ThomasSmale

Thomas Smale

2 years

We @FEIntl sold a SaaS It was an Address Validation Shopify & BigCommerce App. Here are some details for you: Sold Price $10-100M Yearly Net Profit $2,418,000 Yearly Revenue $2,424,000

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@ThomasSmale

Thomas Smale

4 years

@awilkinson ok

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@ThomasSmale

Thomas Smale

2 years

Bootstrapping Tip: When you're building a business, try to have a co-founder who shares your vision. The bootstrapping journey can get lonely, having a partner always helps.

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@ThomasSmale

Thomas Smale

2 years

I've sold 1200+ online businesses worth over $1 Billion in the last 10 years. Ask me anything related to exit planning, building & selling an online business, our processes, etc.

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@ThomasSmale

Thomas Smale

4 months

Everyone should bootstrap a business once. It’s brutal on your mind, body... wallet. But it gives you so much perspective. It’s easy to spend other people's money. It’s hard to spend hard-earned money. There is no better way to learn marketing, sales, operations, coding, etc.

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@ThomasSmale

Thomas Smale

1 year

@codyschneiderxx No-one is paying $500k for a young site making $10k/mo with AI generated content. Close to zero market for sites like that

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@ThomasSmale

Thomas Smale

3 years

@SidelineAff CEO of @FEIntl - market leading M&A firm for SaaS, e-commerce, content businesses in the $0-$100M range. Closed over $1BN in deals. "Broker kind of guy" is close in simple terms! :)

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@ThomasSmale

Thomas Smale

5 months

@asmartbear You're forgetting staffed by unpaid content creators mods.

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@ThomasSmale

Thomas Smale

7 months

$10M is a drop in the bucket to some. $100K is life-changing to others. As someone who grew up broke, my biggest milestone was my first million. I dreamed of hitting that number, retiring, and playing golf all day. When I hit it, it was life changing. I could get a mortgage,

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@ThomasSmale

Thomas Smale

6 months

Recently sold a company to an influencer. Food niche. Millions of devoted fans. Has a line of vegan cookies. She bought a food blog. Why? She built the brand, had a product, now she's building out distribution.

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@ThomasSmale

Thomas Smale

6 months

The IPO all the tech giants are watching. The positive reception suggests more IPOs from big tech this year. Big day for Reddit. But I still feel the lack of proven, profitable business model is a big red flag.

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@ThomasSmale

Thomas Smale

4 months

10,000 people might have your business idea. 100 people will actually try to build it. 10 will stick with it for 6 months. 2-3 might be there for the haul.

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@ThomasSmale

Thomas Smale

3 years

@sweatystartup Weekday: Lagavulin 16 Special: Macallan 25

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@ThomasSmale

Thomas Smale

2 years

Bootstrappers are the toughest people I know.

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@ThomasSmale

Thomas Smale

4 years

If you can get to $1M revenue (even solo) then you can also get to $10M but *only* if you can hire, train, manage and retain a team. Many cannot or are not willing so growth stalls around the $1M level

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@ThomasSmale

Thomas Smale

4 years

most "indie" hackers would be far more [financially] successful if they focused on just one product/service and doubled down on it vs. continuously creating and launching more. Apply that focus for 10 years and you have a 7, 8 or 9 figure business. Side projects are a distraction

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@ThomasSmale

Thomas Smale

8 months

After seeing 1500+ tech founders sell: That first million dollars in the bank changes everything. Immediate financial relief is incomparable. After that, it's all a bonus.

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@ThomasSmale

Thomas Smale

2 years

A simple roadmap to becoming wealthy: - Build a niche website - Scale it to $10k monthly revenue - Sell it for $350k - Rinse & Repeat

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@ThomasSmale

Thomas Smale

5 years

a lot of replies & "experts" on Twitter hurt my brain. Work as much (or as little) as you want. Work in an office or remotely if you want. What works for one person won't work for you. Get up at a time that suits you. The list goes on

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@ThomasSmale

Thomas Smale

3 years

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@ThomasSmale

Thomas Smale

2 years

@levelsio Most who don't understand why people sell at this level tend to be privileged: low life overhead, little commitment outside of business, high level of talent/autonomous business, young. Things change when you are 40 and can pay off your mortgage + a safety net for life in one go

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@ThomasSmale

Thomas Smale

9 months

A lesson from 1500+ exits: Cool businesses don't make as much $ as you think. Boring businesses make way $ more than you think.

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@ThomasSmale

Thomas Smale

7 months

Ask 1000 Harvard business grads: “What interests you?” 99% will say: AI, crypto, quantum, finance. 1% will say a ‘boring’ industry. A crowded market or a ‘boring’ one? Boring is a no-brainer every time. People with boring businesses are rich. Nothing’s boring about that.

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@ThomasSmale

Thomas Smale

9 months

@realEstateTrent Sure. If you travel at all for work it is almost essential! Nothing to be insecure about

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@ThomasSmale

Thomas Smale

5 months

Reminder: Boring businesses are quietly raking in millions. And outperforming sexy, VC-backed startups.

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@ThomasSmale

Thomas Smale

2 years

Calling all the awesome founders that follow me Promote your startup under this tweet 👇

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@ThomasSmale

Thomas Smale

3 years

Recently sold an affiliate site for a client for $1M. All-cash transaction. First site he sold with us 4 years ago was $40K. Keep growing!

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@ThomasSmale

Thomas Smale

2 years

The biggest businesses we’ve sold started as a side hustle & we’ve sold businesses worth $100Mn’s. That’s the power of a solid side hustle.

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@ThomasSmale

Thomas Smale

2 years

Mark Cuban once said "It doesn’t matter how many times you have failed, You only have to be right once” & I couldn't agree more.

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@ThomasSmale

Thomas Smale

1 year

@_lhermann @microacquire Valuation is almost entirely arbitrary below $200K. Generally not a "real" business at that level

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@ThomasSmale

Thomas Smale

2 years

Our average SaaS multiples are: 4.0x-6.0x for businesses under $2M 6.0x-10.0x for businesses over $2M Want to know what it takes to increase your multiple? Do these 5 things: ⬇️️

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@ThomasSmale

Thomas Smale

3 years

Founder used their programming skills to create a successful SaaS business. Boasted a net of $3.2M and sold for...🥁…$30M.

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@ThomasSmale

Thomas Smale

2 years

Life hack: Own digital real estate. (SaaS, E-Com store or a content business)

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@ThomasSmale

Thomas Smale

8 months

The UK isn’t entrepreneurial. They want you to get a good job, do it for 40 years, and not complain. That’s why I like the in State 🇺🇸 But Brits are funnier 🇬🇧

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@ThomasSmale

Thomas Smale

5 years

2010: @FEIntl 2011: FE 2012: FE 2013: FE 2014: FE 2015: FE 2016: FE 2017: FE 2018: FE 2019: FE A decade of consistent growth. Monthly overhead now more than 2010 & 2011 total revenue combined. Lots more to do in 2020 and beyond! #keepgrowing

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@ThomasSmale

Thomas Smale

2 years

We've sold 1200+ online businesses after doing proper DUE DILIGENCE Improper due diligence will not only waste your time & resources but also give you a poor experience as a buyer. We use a SIX step framework for our deals Retweet this tweet to get it in your DM's

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@ThomasSmale

Thomas Smale

2 years

Content business sold for: $16,782,000 🚀 Here are the details (that I can share) below:

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@ThomasSmale

Thomas Smale

4 years

live footage of a founder who just sold their business for 40% below market value "with no commission"

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@ThomasSmale

Thomas Smale

8 months

Entrepreneurs don’t need new ideas. They need new approaches to old ideas.

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@ThomasSmale

Thomas Smale

1 year

@SMB_Attorney Clean[er] financials, management team in place, improved client retention and lifetime value

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